A configurable feeding assembly for forming and feeding molten glass gobs in an individual section machine for forming hollow glass products.

Abstract

In a machine for forming hollow glass products, a configurable supply assembly is provided for forming and supplying glass gobs. [Solution] In a supply assembly for shaping and supplying glass gobs 2, the orifice 22 of the outlet body 24 is aligned with a corresponding plunger 16 which is axially movable along a vertical axis 19 and forms a glass bead 6 from a mass of molten glass 13, and the glass bead is cut by a cutting device 9 located below the orifice to form a glass gob, and the supply assembly is configured such that during production changes, the steps of selecting one of the available diameters to satisfy the weight and / or shape factors of the glass gob to be supplied, determining a target glass flow rate, verifying whether the selected diameter satisfies the target glass flow rate, and adjusting the height position of the orifice 22 relative to the bowl 11 in case of a negative result are carried out.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - reference to related applications] This patent application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102024000026622 filed on November 26, 2024, and the entire disclosure thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to the configuration of a supply assembly for forming and supplying glass gobs in an individual section machine, usually called an IS machine, for forming hollow glass products during production changes.

[0003] In particular, the present invention relates to a configurable supply assembly for forming and supplying glass gobs in an IS machine.

Background Art

[0004] As is well known, a machine for forming hollow glass products (generally called an I.S. machine) comprises a plurality of forming sections, each of which operates independently of the other sections and forms each set of glass products from glass gobs from a distributor located above the forming section.

[0005] Next, the glass gob is obtained by cutting at least one glass bead formed by a plunger extruder operating in a crucible or bowl (called a "cuvette" in French) containing a mass of molten glass from the glass furnace. At the bottom of this bowl is an end wall with a plate having one or more orifices, each orifice aligned perpendicularly to the respective plunger of the extruder. In practice, the plungers reciprocate along a vertical axis, pressing and extruding the molten glass through these orifices to form glass beads. The latter are cut by a cutting device such as scissors positioned just below the orifices to form the glass gob, which is then sorted into various shaping sections by a distributor.

[0006] The plate at the bottom of the bowl is commonly called an "orifice ring," and is usually interchangeable with other plates that have orifices of different diameters. This allows the glass supply to be adjusted to match the glass flow rate required for the various types of products being manufactured and the series of molding sections located downstream.

[0007] In this regard, the total flow rate of molten glass supplied must be equal to the product of the number of operating molding sections and the flow rate required for each section. The latter flow rate depends on the weight of each glass product to be manufactured and the production rate (number of products manufactured per unit time). The weight of the glass product corresponds to the weight of each gob and depends on the diameter and length of the gob. For each weight of gob to be manufactured, the optimal orifice ring diameter is suggested from glass manufacturing experience, and this diameter is selected so as to achieve a length-to-diameter ratio that allows for good filling of the parison mold of the molding section. In fact, the glass gobs supplied to each molding section should be as close as possible in dimensions to the dimensions of the product to be manufactured. In other words, the ratio of the diameter to the length of the glass gob should be set as close as possible to the ratio of the base to the height of the glass product.

[0008] At the same time, the intervention time of the cutting device is determined by the production speed of the molding section and the number of molds.

[0009] After installing an orifice ring of a selected diameter from those available in the machine, it is necessary to effectively control the weight of the gob by changing the linear speed of the glass bead discharged downwards. This speed is set by adjusting the height of the free surface of the molten glass in the bowl, thereby obtaining a corresponding still water head in the bowl.

[0010] In some cases, the diameter selected for the orifice may not be sufficient to achieve the total flow rate that actually matches the glass flow rate required for the molding section.

[0011] For example, to manufacture very lightweight glass products, it is necessary to select and install orifice rings with similarly small diameter orifices, but the latter tend to cause hydraulic resistance and reduce the total flow rate of glass. If the orifice is reduced beyond a certain limit, the total flow rate of glass will no longer be sufficient to meet the production rate of all molding sections.

[0012] In such cases, the following: - Stop a specific molding section (however, this solution will obviously reduce productivity), - Change the diameter of the orifice by attaching a different orifice ring (make it smaller or larger depending on whether the total flow rate of the glass is too high or too low). These are some possible solutions that could be implemented.

[0013] However, in this case, you must be prepared for the fact that the glass goblin may not be optimally loaded because the ratio of the glass goblin's length to its diameter is different.

[0014] The solution outlined in European Patent Application Publication No. 3450406 (Patent Document 1) comprises a tubular portion that increases the overall height of the component used as an orifice ring. This increase in height widens the spacing between orifices downward, in contrast to conventional solutions in which the orifice ring is simply defined by placing a plate on the end wall of the bowl containing the molten glass.

[0015] However, from the above, it is clear that in conventional technology, only one parameter is available, namely the orifice diameter, because the settings change during production to meet various requirements (weight, gob diameter / length ratio, glass flow rate required in the molding section). Because there is limited room to adjust settings during production changes, a satisfactory compromise cannot always be found.

[0016] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a configuration method for forming glass gobs and supplying them to individual section machines for forming hollow glass products, as well as a configurable supply assembly, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems simply and economically. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0017] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application Publication No. 3450406 [Overview of the Initiative]

[0018] According to the present invention, a method is provided for configuring a supply assembly during production changeover to form and supply glass gobs in an individual section machine for forming hollow glass products, wherein the supply assembly is - A bowl that forms a cavity to receive and contain a mass of molten glass during use, - Multiple outlet bodies, each having an orifice of a different diameter, configured to be interchangeably mounted in a fixed position at the lower end of the cavity, - At least one plunger having a vertical axis aligned with a corresponding orifice of the mounted outlet body, the plunger being axially movable within the cavity and forming a glass bead from the molten glass mass through the orifice, - A cutting device positioned below the orifice and operating to cut the glass bead and form the glass gob, A configuration method for constructing a supply assembly, comprising: - A step of selecting one of the diameters so as to satisfy the weight and / or shape factors of the glass gob supplied by the supply assembly after the production change, - A step to determine the target glass flow rate, - A step of confirming whether the supply assembly having the selected diameter satisfies the target glass flow rate, - If a negative result is obtained in the verification step, the step of adjusting the height of the orifice relative to the bowl so as close as possible to the target glass flow rate, Includes.

[0019] According to the present invention, a supply assembly is provided for forming and supplying glass gobs in an individual section machine for forming hollow glass products, wherein the supply assembly is - A bowl defining a cavity configured to receive and contain a mass of molten glass during use, - A kit comprising multiple outlet bodies, each having an orifice of a different diameter, and configured to be interchangeably mounted in a fixed position at the lower end of the cavity, - At least one plunger having a vertical axis aligned with the orifice of an outlet body selected and mounted from the kit, wherein the plunger is axially movable within the cavity and forms a glass bead from the molten glass mass through the orifice, - A cutting device disposed below the orifice and operative to cut the glass beads to form the glass gobs; comprising; At least one of the outlet bodies of the kit includes a lower plate provided with the orifice and side walls extending upward along the periphery of the lower plate, and the outlet bodies of the kit are different from each other because they have different heights.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] To better understand the present invention, some non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] [Figure 1] A bottom perspective view partially showing a preferred embodiment of a supply assembly configured to form and supply glass gobs to an individual section machine for forming hollow glass products according to the present invention. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view of the supply assembly of FIG. 1 taken along the vertical cross-sectional plane schematically shown by line II-II of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] An enlarged view of the detailed portion of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] Similar to FIG. 3, a view showing how the supply assembly can be configured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. [Figure 5] Similar to FIG. 3, a view showing how the supply assembly can be configured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. [Figure 6] A view schematically showing a kit for constructing a supply assembly. [Figure 7] A graph showing the flow rate of molten glass using the kit of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] In Figure 1, reference numeral 1 shows the entire supply assembly (partially illustrated) which can be configured to form the glass gob 2, schematically shown in Figure 2, and to feed it to an individual section machine for forming hollow glass products.

[0023] As schematically shown in Figure 2, this machine, commonly called an IS machine, has multiple molding sections 3 arranged along a horizontal row.

[0024] Although known and not illustrated, each forming section 3 includes a draft mold and a finishing mold, which are configured to form a specific number of glass products, from one to four, from the glass gob 2, and are driven by corresponding mold opening and closing devices and connected to corresponding cooling systems. Each forming section 3 also includes a pickup and inversion unit that picks up the semi-finished glass products (also called “parisons”) formed in the draft mold and transfers them to the finishing mold, and a pickup and transfer unit that picks up the glass products formed in the finishing mold and places them on a shelf, from which the same products are pushed out onto an exit conveyor parallel to the rows of forming section 3. Each forming section 3 also includes several mechanisms connected to the molds, including a funnel mechanism and a buffer mechanism connected to the draft mold that guide the entry of the glass gob 2 and close the top of the draft mold, a plunger mechanism that creates a cavity within the glass gob contained in the draft mold, and an air pressure blowing head mechanism connected to the finishing mold that presses the glass against the walls of the mold and cools the walls. As described above, the forming section 3 has known properties and is not relevant to the present invention.

[0025] The glass gobs 2 are sorted into draft molds of various molding sections 3 by a gob distribution and delivery system 5, also schematically shown in Figure 2, and obtained by cutting one or more glass beads 6 using a cutting device 7 (partially illustrated), such as scissors.

[0026] Device 7 forms part of the supply assembly 1 and is coupled to a fixed support frame 8 by a connecting device 9 configured to allow adjustment of the height position of device 7 for purposes schematically shown and described in more detail below.

[0027] The supply assembly 1 also includes a partially illustrated extruder or thrust device 10 and a crucible or bowl 11 defining a cavity 12 for containing a mass of molten glass 13 when in use. Specifically, the bowl 11 is bonded to a fixed position on a structure 14 formed in half shell to surround the bowl 11 and is preferably configured to provide thermal insulation to the cavity 12 in a known and not described in detail.

[0028] The bowl 11 and / or structure 14 are supported so as to be fixed in position relative to the frame 8. Referring in particular to Figure 1, the bowl 11 is located at the end of a “forehearth” (not shown) that defines a channel that carries the flow of molten glass out of the glass furnace to the side inlet opening 15 of the cavity 12.

[0029] Referring to Figure 2, the mass of molten glass 13 contained in the cavity 12 is extruded by the device 10 to form a glass bead 6. For each glass bead 6, the device 10 is provided with a corresponding plunger 16, one of which is supported in a known manner (for example, by a corresponding horizontal support arm 18 schematically shown), and which extends downward along a corresponding vertical axis 19, with its lower end 20 sinking into the cavity 12 and, consequently, into the mass of molten glass 13.

[0030] The plunger 16 is driven by an actuation device 21, which is also known and schematically shown, and moves in a reciprocating motion axially relative to the bowl 11, essentially forming the glass bead 6 by pushing it out from each orifice 22. The height position of the bottom dead center of the plunger 16's stroke relative to the bowl 11 can be changed by a known and schematically shown adjustment device 23. The adjustment device 23 is preferably integrated with the actuation device 21, and in fact, in currently used electronic control systems, the top and bottom dead centers and laws of motion of the plunger 16 are set by the operation of a so-called "electronic cam" provided within the same control system.

[0031] Incidentally, increasing the vertical stroke of plunger 16 generally increases the weight of glass gob 2.

[0032] The orifice 22 is formed coaxially with the plunger 16 within an outlet body 24 called an orifice ring, located at the lower end of the cavity 12. The outlet body 24 is coupled by a known retaining device 25, which remains fixed relative to the bowl 11 during use and is detachable from the bowl 11 for replacement.

[0033] In particular, the cavity 12 terminates downward with a vertical channel 26 leading to the outlet body 24. The channel 26 extends through the horizontal wall 27 at the bottom of the bowl 11 and the annular portion 28 of the structure 14 located below the wall 27. More specifically, the outlet body 24 defines a chamber 29 that represents the lower end of the channel 26. More specifically, the outlet body 24 is fixed to the annular portion 28 of the structure 14 by a device 25, and the outlet body 24 is replaced by releasing the fixation as described above, ensuring a seal to the molten glass contained in the channel 26. Similarly, the joint between the annular portion 28 and the bottom wall 27 is also configured to ensure a secure seal to the molten glass contained in the channel 26.

[0034] Referring to Figure 3, the outlet body 24 comprises a lower plate 32 on which an orifice 22 is formed, and a side wall 33 extending upward along the periphery of the plate 32 and defining the annular profile of the chamber 29. Furthermore, the outlet body 24 includes, for example, a mounting system defined by a flange 34 projecting outward from the upper end of the side wall 33, which, in conjunction with the device 25, allows for the removable mounting of the outlet body 24.

[0035] In a modified version not shown, the mounting system comprises a metal structure below the lower plate 32, fixed to the outlet body 24, for example by surface hardening, and coupled to the device 25 in a replaceable manner. In particular, in the side wall 33, the channel 26 has a through cross section having a constant area along the vertical direction. More specifically, the plate 32 has a top surface 35 shaped in a manner not described in detail to guide and converge the molten glass toward the orifice 22 during the axial thrust of each plunger 16.

[0036] The latter is surrounded by a tubular component 36, as shown in Figure 1. Referring to Figure 2, the tubular component 36 is coaxial with the channel 26, preferably rotatable about its vertical axis, has a through cross section having the same shape and dimensions as the channel 26, and is aligned with the channel 26. The tubular component 36 is positioned perpendicularly away from the wall 27, leaving the slit 37 open, which extends as a ring around the mouth of the channel 26, allowing the molten glass to flow toward the channel 26 and toward the inside of the same tubular component 36. The height position of the tubular component 36 relative to the wall 27 of the bowl 11 can be adjusted in known (not shown) ways to change the width of the annular slit 37, which in turn can change the position of the free surface of the molten glass 13 within the tubular component 36, and as a result, can change the hydrostatic head relative to the wall 27.

[0037] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the still water head can also be changed by replacing the outlet body 24 with another outlet body 24a, 24b, etc., which has the same mounting system (i.e., the same flange 34 in the particular case shown) but side walls 33a, 33b, etc. of different heights. In fact, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supply assembly 1 comprises a kit or set shown in 40 of Figure 6, defined by a plurality of outlet bodies 24, 24a, 24b, etc., which are configured to be interchangeably mounted (i.e., one in place of the other) below the bowl 11, i.e., at the lower end of the cavity 12. - The diameter of the orifice 22 of plate 32, and / or - Height of the annular wall 33 (and therefore depth or vertical distance of the orifice 22 relative to the wall 27 of the bowl 11 and / or the annular portion 28 of the structure 14) They are different from each other.

[0038] In fact, the term “height” of the outlet body and / or side wall generally refers to the vertical distance of the orifice 22 from the bowl 11 and / or structure 14.

[0039] In particular, for a given height of the side wall 33 (33a, 33b, etc.), the kit 40 includes another outlet body 24c (24d, 24e, etc.) which has the same height but is different in that it includes a plate 32a with an orifice 22a having a larger or smaller diameter than the orifice 22.

[0040] Similarly, for each diameter of orifices 22 and 22a, the kit 40 includes at least two outlet bodies (24, 24a, 24b, etc., 24c, 24d, 24e, etc.) that differ only in height from one another, such as side walls 33, 33a, 33b.

[0041] It is recommended to configure the supply assembly 1 with respect to the height position of the bottom dead center of the vertical stroke of the plunger 16 and the height position of the device 7 by changing the height of the side walls 33, 33a, and 33b.

[0042] With respect to device 7, according to the preferred solution shown in the attached drawings, device 7 is positioned directly below the orifice 22 and cuts the glass bead 6 as it exits the orifice 22. Therefore, if the height position of the plate 32 with the orifice 22 changes, the height position of device 7 acting on the aforementioned connecting device 9 must also change accordingly. For example, the connecting device 9 may support device 7 and have a slide that is movable vertically in response to the rotation of a manually or motor-driven screw or female screw, and further may have a releaseable locking mechanism that can be stopped to prevent the blade of device 7 from vibrating during cutting and to allow adjustment.

[0043] In particular, the maximum vertical stroke allowed by the connecting device 9 also limits the maximum height of the installable outlet bodies 24, 24a, 24b, etc. For example, this maximum stroke may be 5 cm.

[0044] As mentioned above, it is preferable that the height position of the plunger 16 at its bottom dead center is set by a system that controls the actuation device 21.

[0045] In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the side walls 33 and plate 32 of the outlet body 24 (as well as corresponding parts of the outlet body 24a, 24b, etc.) are defined by separate components and fixed to each other in a releasable and replaceable manner. Fixing is performed by a suitable fixing device 42 schematically shown in Figures 3-5, the type of fixing device 42 may be selected from commercially available products or custom-designed. The fixing device must ensure that the two components are securely fixed to each other, reliably sealed when fixed, and easily detachable and replaceable when production changes to the molded section 3 are required.

[0046] Because the side wall 33 and plate 32 are separate, the kit 40 is made up of a limited number of parts and can form various outlet bodies 24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e, etc., thus increasing its versatility. In fact, it can consist of one lower plate for each orifice diameter and one side wall for each height of the outlet body. Therefore, to adjust the height of the outlet body, only the side wall needs to be replaced, and to adjust the diameter of the orifice, only the lower plate needs to be replaced.

[0047] Alternatively, if the side wall 33 and plate 32 are not removable, for example, if they are part of a single integrated component, then by replacing the entire outlet body 24, either the height of the side wall 33 or the diameter of the orifice 22 can be changed.

[0048] Figure 7 shows how the change in the hydrostatic head generated by the addition of the side wall 33 affects the flow rate of molten glass supplied by assembly 1. More specifically, the curve indicated by reference numeral A represents the flow rate of glass supplied when only the lower plate 32 is installed without the side wall 33, and the curve indicated by reference numeral B represents the flow rate of glass supplied when the entire outlet body 24, i.e., the combination of the side wall 33 and the lower plate 32, is installed.

[0049] To select the outlet body to install from the available outlet bodies in Kit 40, first calculate the total glass flow rate (also called "flow velocity") required in molding section 3 after the production change, based on factors such as the weight of the items being produced, the molding / production speed, the number of cavities per mold, the number of molding sections 3, and the glass temperature (which affects viscosity).

[0050] This total glass flow rate defines the target glass flow rate that assembly 1 must meet, in particular, so that it is not necessary to exclude one or more molding sections 3, and therefore, production does not need to be reduced.

[0051] Based on a predefined graph or table, i.e., a graph or table previously obtained by experiment or simulation, the outlet body of Kit 40 is specified to satisfy the target glass flow rate, as well as the weight and diameter-to-length ratio (shape factor) of the glass gob 2.

[0052] In particular, based on such graphs and tables, the optimal diameter value of the orifice (from the available diameters in Kit 40) is selected to meet the required weight and shape factors for the glass gob 2. Subsequently, one of the available heights for the outlet body 24, 24a, 24b, etc., is adopted as a reference, and it is checked whether this reference, along with the corresponding still water head, meets the target glass flow rate. In particular, the various adjustments available in Assembly 1 (i.e., changes in the height of the tubular component 25 and changes in the stroke and displacement laws of the plunger 16) are also taken into consideration. If this check yields a good result, the outlet body is installed with the selected orifice diameter and height. Otherwise, the "height" parameter is adjusted (preferably not to change the orifice diameter pre-selected based on the graphs / tables mentioned above). This change in the "height" parameter is made to get as close as possible to the target glass flow rate.

[0053] Theoretically, if an outlet body of the height set in this procedure is not readily available in Kit 40 when needed, it may be relatively easy to construct and add a shimming spacer to achieve the height required to achieve the target glass flow rate. Thus, in principle, the "height" parameter can be changed by adding or removing general shimming spacers, even without the specially constructed sidewalls (33, 33a, 33b) already provided in Kit 40.

[0054] If multiple outlet bodies meet all requirements (weight, shape factor, velocity), a control curve correlating the height position of the tubular component 25 with the flow rate of the supplied glass can be considered for each. The selection is made according to the slope of these control curves; if the slope is too low, the control capability decreases, and if the slope is too high, hypersensitivity to errors and imperfections occurs.

[0055] As is clear from the above, in the case of production changes to the molding section 3, the operator must preferably use the kit 40 to set two different parameters in the supply assembly 1, namely the height of the outlet body 24 and the diameter of the orifice 22. This provides greater flexibility than the conventional technology in meeting production requirements (weight of the glass gob 2, shape factor of the glass gob 2, and speed required for the molding section 3).

[0056] In other words, compared to known solutions where only the diameter can be changed, the operator has one more parameter to set.

[0057] Furthermore, since the height of the outlet body 24 can be set, the adjustment range of the still water head, which can be achieved simply by changing the height position of the tubular component 36, can be expanded.

[0058] Finally, it is evident from the above that the above-described configuration method and supply assembly 1 can be modified with reference to the attached drawings, and that changes can be made to them without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

[0059] In particular, an important feature of the present invention is that by appropriately selecting parts from the kit 40 available in assembly 1, both the height of the outlet body 24 and the diameter of the orifice 22 can be changed in combination with each other, making it possible to select different types of connection or fixing devices, actuation devices, adjustment devices, etc.

[0060] Furthermore, the plates 32 and 32a of kit 40 can be fitted with the same mounting system as the side walls 33, 33a, and 33b (for example, the same flange as flange 34), and the plates 32 and 32a can be directly fitted under the bowl 11 without fitting the side walls.

[0061] Finally, selecting the outlet body from those available in Kit 40 can also be done through a procedure different from those required above and below, such as trial and error. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 1. Supply Assembly 2 Glass Goblin 3 Molding Sections 5. Gob Distribution and Delivery System 6 glass beads 7 Cutting devices 8 Fixed support frame 9. Connected devices, disconnected devices 10. Thrust device 11 Bowls 12 Cavity 13. Molten glass 14 Structure 15 Side entrance opening 16 plungers 17 Top 18 Horizontal support arm 19 Vertical axis 20 Bottom end 21 Actuator 22 Orifice 23 Adjustment Devices 24 Outlet body 25 Tubular components, retaining devices 26 Vertical Channels 27 Horizontal wall, bottom wall 28 Circular section 29 Chambers 32 Lower plate 33 Ring Wall 33 Side wall 34 Flange 35 Top side 36 Tubular Components 37 Annular slit 40 kits 42 Fixed devices

Claims

1. A method for configuring a supply assembly (1) during a production change, To form and supply glass gobs (2) in an individual section machine for forming hollow glass products, the supply assembly (1) is: - A bowl (11) that forms a cavity (12) for receiving and containing a mass of molten glass (13) when in use, - Multiple outlet bodies (24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e) each having an orifice (22, 22a) of a different diameter, and configured to be interchangeably attached to a fixed position at the lower end of the cavity (12), - At least one plunger (16) having a vertical axis (19) aligned with the corresponding orifices (22, 22a) of the attached outlet body (24), wherein the plunger (16) is axially movable within the cavity (12) and forms a glass bead (6) from the mass of molten glass (13) through the orifice (22), - A cutting device (9) positioned below the orifice (22) and operating to cut the glass bead (6) to form the glass gob (2), A configuration method for configuring a supply assembly (1) during a production change, comprising: - A step of selecting one of the diameters so as to satisfy the weight and / or shape factors of the glass gob (2) supplied by the supply assembly (1) after the production change, - Steps to determine the target glass flow rate, - A step of confirming whether the supply assembly (1) having the selected diameter satisfies the target glass flow rate, - If a negative result is obtained in the verification step, the step of adjusting the height position of the orifices (22, 22a) relative to the bowl (11) so as close as possible to the target glass flow rate, A method of configuration comprising the following.

2. - The configuration method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting the height position of the cutting device (9) relative to the bowl (11) based on the height position of the orifices (22, 22a) set during the adjustment step.

3. - The method of configuration according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising the step of adjusting the height of the bottom dead center of the stroke of the plunger (16) relative to the bowl (11) based on the height position of the orifices (22, 22a) set during the adjustment step.

4. A supply assembly (1) for forming and supplying glass gobs (2) in an individual section machine for forming hollow glass products, - A bowl (11) defining a cavity (12) configured to receive and contain a mass of molten glass (13) when in use, - A kit (40) comprising multiple outlet bodies (24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e), wherein each outlet body has an orifice (22, 22a) of a different diameter, and is configured to be interchangeably mounted in a fixed position at the lower end of the cavity (12), - At least one plunger (16) having a vertical axis (19) aligned with the orifice (22) of an outlet body (24) selected and mounted from the kit (40), wherein the plunger (16) is movable axially within the cavity (12) and forms a glass bead (6) from the mass of molten glass (13) through the orifice (22), - A cutting device (9) positioned below the orifice (22) and operating to cut the glass bead (6) to form the glass gob (2), Equipped with, Supply assembly (1), wherein at least one of the outlet bodies (24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e) of the kit (40) comprises a lower plate on which the orifice (22, 22a) is provided and a side wall (33, 33a, 33b) extending upward along the periphery of the lower plate (32, 32a), and the outlet bodies (24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e) of the kit (40) differ from each other because they are of different heights.

5. The supply assembly according to claim 4, wherein for each predetermined height, the kit (40) comprises at least two outlet bodies (24, 24c; 24a, 24d; 24b, 24e) each having an orifice (22, 22a) of a different diameter.

6. The supply assembly according to claim 4, wherein the kit (40) comprises at least two outlet bodies (24, 24a, 24b; 24c, 24d, 24e) having different heights relative to a predetermined diameter of each of the orifices (22, 22a).

7. The supply assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the side wall and the lower plate are defined by a single piece.

8. The supply assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the side wall and the lower plate are defined by separate parts and are configured to be interchangeably fixed to at least one further lower plate or at least one further side wall, respectively.

9. The supply assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein a connecting device (9) is provided for connecting the cutting device (7) to a support frame (8), and the connecting device (9) is configured to change the height position of the cutting device (7) relative to the bowl (11).

10. The supply assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising an adjustment device (23) for changing the position of the bottom dead center of the axial stroke of the plunger (16) within the cavity (12).

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